Episode 139 – Some Minutes are Better Than Others

Episodes discussed: Buffy 5×18 Intervention and Doctor Who 9×11 Heaven Sent

Intervention

Written by Jane Espenson; Directed by Michael Gershman

While Buffy goes on a spiritual quest, Spike finds another way to satisfy his longings for Buffy. Discussion points include:

• Buffy’s hardness
• “Death is your gift”
• The slavishly mechanical Buffybot
• Dawn’s theft and Willow’s advancement
• Spike lives his fantasy
• Glory gets closer to the Key

Heaven Sent

Written by Steven Moffat; Directed by Rachel Talalay

The Doctor works through his grief for Clara while trapped in an empty castle. Discussion points includes:

• The ultimate puzzle box
• The Veil and the confession dial
• Repetition, hope, and despair
• Purgatory and “burning through the grief”
• The coming of the Hybrid
• “How many seconds in eternity”

Next time: Doctor Who 9×12 Hell Bent and Angel 2×18 Dead End.